Sure, it's fine to have electric cars replace the old gas guzzlers, but what do you do about the space problems of parking? English industrial designer Daniel Bailey has come up with a fold-up car that resembles a Dyson upright vaccuum cleaner after folding to take up half the space of its original size.
Bailey, who is studying at Montclair State University came up with the concept of the BRB Evolution because he figures the two main problems in the future for big cities would be pollution and over-population. The car will run on electricity or hydrogen fuel cell while the foldable part will hopefully help deal with limited parking spaces.
Two rollers from the bottom of the car will roll the car up and turn the vehicle so the car can slide into spots at a sideway angle. Needless to say, drivers would have to exit the vehicle before folding up the car.
“The car was designed similar to the bike, aerodynamic, with my intentions to conserve energy wasted propelling the car forward,” says Bailey.
Bailey is entering the BRB Evolution in a Peugeot competition and was inspired by the design of his own speed racing bike, the Peugeot 908 and the Lamborghini Murcielago, with a bit of Dyson thrown in for good measure. Now if only it could pick up dog hair as well…
Via: Bailey's Portfolio and http://Marks Technology News and Tuvie.com and Nerds with Swag
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written by The Food Monster, July 22, 2008
http://thefoodmonsterblog.blogspot.com
I love all of the advances that cars are getting with the renewable age starting. Especially transformer cars.
I love all of the advances that cars are getting with the renewable age starting. Especially transformer cars.
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written by Clinch, July 22, 2008
This seems somewhat reminiscent (whatever that word means) of the Toyota i-unit, except it doesn't look like you can drive this while it's upright.
It's also difficult (from the just those pictures) to work out where, and how big the joint (for the car folding) is, and the size (and weight) of the joint could potentially ruin the fuel economy.
It's also difficult (from the just those pictures) to work out where, and how big the joint (for the car folding) is, and the size (and weight) of the joint could potentially ruin the fuel economy.
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written by Tim Medvitz, July 22, 2008
If you have to get out before folding it up, then wouldnt you need to un-fold it to get back in. Meaning that you would need to park your car in a space that big enough for the car unfolded. And if two cars box your car in a spot while it is folded you are double screwed.
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written by kerry bradshaw, July 22, 2008
After hearing this cioncept I was struck by its sheer inaneness. Exactly what problem is this system supposed to solve? Where are these commuters coming from and going to? How in God's name does one distribute these vehicles thruout the city and then redistribute them? Trying to simulate this system would be impossible. One thinmg is crystalcelar - this system will require a lot more than 1 of these things for each car that it attempts to replace. It also seems to generate more traffic than it eliminates. I'd just love to hear the logic behind this scheme. I don't think there is any. How could there be? It's totally illogical.
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written by Karlamanda Bell, July 23, 2008
The efficient manufacture of vehicles will be essential and “Curved Folding” developed by Gregory Epps, recently graduated from the Royal College of Art, Industrial Design Engineering Department in London maybe the technology that allows vehicle manufacturing set-up to become flexible, fast, efficient and cost effective.
Curved folding eliminates the need for expensive retooling with each vehicle type, the largest expense in car manufacturing. Gregory Epps said in an article published in Eureka Magazine by Tom Shelley 13th of August 2007, that, “Apart from doing away with the need for press tools – which typically represent 70% of car body panel costs – the curved folding methodology produces parts that cannot be produced by pressing”. http://www.eurekamagazine.co.u...press.aspx
In the future vehicles will utilize a variety of fuels such as: ethanol, electric-petroleum, natural gas, bio-diesel or hydrogen. Car companies will have to produce a range of vehicle running on different fuel types. Vehicle manufacturing will need to become flexible and adaptable to produce the range of small, medium and large vehicle in whatever fuel source is available.
Tom Shelley further noted that, Epps said that, “By manipulating sheet metal with robotic arms, complex sheet metal forms can be created, with curving folds that avoid the need for press tools
“While applications are mainly seen in low production run automotive body panels at present, the technique could be applied to anything made out of sheet metal.
“His professed goal now is to take the method and turn it into an industrial process –To do this, Epps has been developing technology that will put the process into the grippers of industrial robots.
“Once computer modeling is used to predict the behavior of the deformed sheet so that it can be guaranteed to deform as required, it becomes a rapid manufacturing system, he points out, and one that could be used to produce one-offs, or many-offs, without the need to fabricate press tools.
“With pressing, you are limited to a minimum draft angle, to be able to get the tool and panel apart,” Epps explains. “But with curved folding, you can make an enclosed volume. One of the interesting things about this method is that it is possible to use it to make parts that crumple in a predictable way, so you could make safer cars.”
GHGblog.com will follow this technology.
Curved folding eliminates the need for expensive retooling with each vehicle type, the largest expense in car manufacturing. Gregory Epps said in an article published in Eureka Magazine by Tom Shelley 13th of August 2007, that, “Apart from doing away with the need for press tools – which typically represent 70% of car body panel costs – the curved folding methodology produces parts that cannot be produced by pressing”. http://www.eurekamagazine.co.u...press.aspx
In the future vehicles will utilize a variety of fuels such as: ethanol, electric-petroleum, natural gas, bio-diesel or hydrogen. Car companies will have to produce a range of vehicle running on different fuel types. Vehicle manufacturing will need to become flexible and adaptable to produce the range of small, medium and large vehicle in whatever fuel source is available.
Tom Shelley further noted that, Epps said that, “By manipulating sheet metal with robotic arms, complex sheet metal forms can be created, with curving folds that avoid the need for press tools
“While applications are mainly seen in low production run automotive body panels at present, the technique could be applied to anything made out of sheet metal.
“His professed goal now is to take the method and turn it into an industrial process –To do this, Epps has been developing technology that will put the process into the grippers of industrial robots.
“Once computer modeling is used to predict the behavior of the deformed sheet so that it can be guaranteed to deform as required, it becomes a rapid manufacturing system, he points out, and one that could be used to produce one-offs, or many-offs, without the need to fabricate press tools.
“With pressing, you are limited to a minimum draft angle, to be able to get the tool and panel apart,” Epps explains. “But with curved folding, you can make an enclosed volume. One of the interesting things about this method is that it is possible to use it to make parts that crumple in a predictable way, so you could make safer cars.”
GHGblog.com will follow this technology.
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written by Lemming, July 23, 2008
It could be immensely practical.
When folded up it can fit into smaller spaces - garages & car parks can fit 2 or 3 cars instead of one. Or we can make much smaller garages & parking spaces - this would save a lot of money & resources.
It slides sideways when folded (para 3) so it can be put into smaller spaces.
It's small so it saves resources and is cheaper to make & run.
A huge number of cars don't need more than 2 seats for commuting to work. Some people, like me, don't need much space yet must use a car for work use.
I hope something like gets into production.
When folded up it can fit into smaller spaces - garages & car parks can fit 2 or 3 cars instead of one. Or we can make much smaller garages & parking spaces - this would save a lot of money & resources.
It slides sideways when folded (para 3) so it can be put into smaller spaces.
It's small so it saves resources and is cheaper to make & run.
A huge number of cars don't need more than 2 seats for commuting to work. Some people, like me, don't need much space yet must use a car for work use.
I hope something like gets into production.
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written by Lemming, July 23, 2008
Imagine the fun vandals would have when you had heaps of them folded up neatly next to each other?
Dominoes anyone???
:)
Dominoes anyone???
:)
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written by Clinch, July 23, 2008
How long does it take to fold/unfold?
Because if you're parking/parked by the side of the road, taking too long to fold/unfold before you park/drive off will block other cars, and cause congestion.
And how tall are they when folded?
Because most indoor car parks have height limits (i.e. a roof).
Because if you're parking/parked by the side of the road, taking too long to fold/unfold before you park/drive off will block other cars, and cause congestion.
And how tall are they when folded?
Because most indoor car parks have height limits (i.e. a roof).
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written by Rob Chant, July 23, 2008
These people have definitely been looking at the new Microsoft folding mouse ;). Well, maybe not, but it looks very similar.
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written by Maccabees, July 25, 2008
To solve the appropriately ridiculed parking problem, I suggest the designer build the car so that it will disappear when parked. Give the owner a "remote control" device that will allow the car to re-appear whenever and wherever the owner desires. When that is accomplished, parking will not be a problem.
(Note to all American car manufacturers; the "invisibility" option was a joke. It won't work. Please spend your R&D on something that will work for a change.)
(Note to all American car manufacturers; the "invisibility" option was a joke. It won't work. Please spend your R&D on something that will work for a change.)
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